Styling for Black Hair Growth:

Add Moisture to Your Hair Before Styling

Morning Hair Styling Routine

The first step when you start styling your natural hair is to add moisture before you begin to manipulate your tresses. Our Afro-textured hair is naturally dry due to the kinks and coils within our curl pattern.

It is difficult for sebum, our hair's natural scalp oil to flow down the entire length of your hair strands. You should add water to your hair everyday to compensate for the shortage of moisture. Keeping your hair moisturized is as simple as grabbing an 8oz spray bottle filled with water and misting it lightly when necessary.

Hair Breakage Starts at The Ends of The Hair

When moisturizing your hair, always start at the ends because they are last to receive moisture from sebum-- thus they are the driest part of the hair strand and the most vulnerable to breakage.

The ends are the oldest part of the hair strand. They have weathered many shampoo washes and endured many touching and pulling sessions--so they need special care and a lot of moisture.

Protective Hairstyling

Protective hairstyling is when you tuck your hair away and leave it alone for at least one day. Most people wear protective hairstyles such as braids, twist, buns and even wigs to reduce chronic hair breakage.

Right after I wash and section my natural hair, I tend to place it into a protective hairstyle. I wear my hair pinned-up and protected for about five days out of the week. During some weeks, I will give myself a treat and wear my hair out in a twist-out on the weekend.

Simply keeping your hair ends tucked away will reduce tension and stress on your fragile, curly hair strands. The best way to see hair growth is by wearing protective hairstyles. Protective hairstyles allow your hair to grow with few setbacks from breakage.

Here are examples of Protective Hairstyles

Low Manipulation Hairstyles

The hairstyles you choose to wear from week-to-week play a huge role in how quickly you reach your longer hair goals. When it comes to fast hair growth on black hair, low-manipulation hairstyles are key to keeping that hair length.

Low-manipulation hairstyles are within a semi-protected state. For example, a twist-out is considered a low-manipulation hairstyle. These hairstyles do not completely cover the ends of the hair, but the hair is usually sealed with moisture and/or tied-up and pulled off of your shoulders like a ponytail puff.

Here Are Examples of Low-Manipulation Hairstyles

Hairstyling Tools Can Cause Breakage Too

Did you know that common hair care practices such as, styling the hair with combs and brushes, using hair accessories, and using hair appliances can all contribute to hair breakage.

All it takes is one time to misuse a flat-iron and just like that you have damaged your hair. The more frequently you use combs and brushes--the more you increase the chances of damaging your hair.

It is important to learn basic facts about managing your hair with styling tools. Here are some quick tips on avoiding hair breakage when using styling tools.

Best Practices When Using Styling Tools on Black Hair

When using heat, start with the lowest setting and always use a heat protectant-silicones are the best

The more you reduce the use of styling tools the less opportunity there will be for damage.

Use Good Hair products That Support Your Hair

Using Hair Grease On Your Scalp

I have witnessed my hair grow to longer lengths merely from wearing weave braids and moisturizing my hair with grease and water. So, I know from experience that greasing the scalp with petroleum is not as bad as many people make it.

Do I grease my scalp today? No! There is no real reason to place petroleum on your scalp. There are no proven benefits to greasing the scalp, especially with a petroleum-based hair product.

On another note, oiling the scalp can be a good hair care tactic if it is done with the right hair product. For example, sometimes I struggle with the roots of my hairbeing extremely dry. I like to use castor oil on the roots of my hair and on my scalp.

Castor oil helps to soften my hair and it conditions my scalp. I prefer an organic,natural oil on my skin and scalp because they benefit the entire body from the inside-out.

Find Staple Hair Products

Ingredients list and hair product choices are important when styling your hair. Often, people use a number of hair products at once to achieve a particular hairstyle. When styling your hair for growth, you should pay close attention to the hair products that work for you and make them staples.

Eventually, you will start to recognize similiar ingredients within some of your favorite hair products. For example, I noticed that the hair products I was using that contained raw Shea butter usually left my hair looking and feeling good.

Hair products that always leave your hair within good condition, should become your staple hair products. Always keep hair products that are reliable in stock.

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Moisturize Your Hair Intelligently

LOC Method (Liquid, Oil, & Conditioner)

Moisturizing black naturally curly hair is not complicated. It is as simple as figuring out how much water (liquid), oil, and cream or conditioner you need to keep your hair soft throughout each day.

Some people like to use one hair product that contains all three components of the LOC Method. And other people prefer to layer their hair products within a specific order with water being applied first, and then oil and conditioner applied afterwards.

How you apply hair products can be the difference between whether or not you achieve longer hair. Adding water to your hair is only the first step. It is even more important to strategically layer hair products on your hair so that the moisture becomes locked-in, hence the LOC-method.

Locking moisture into the your hair strands is the logic behind The LOC Method. Most people add water (usually using a spray bottle)

Get Soft Hair By Using pH

The best moisturizers have water as the first ingredient. I typically use creamy leave-in conditioners. Most hair products have the potential to help you achieve soft, manageable hair. It is important to understand how the ingredients within hair products work.

I use pH-strips to test my leave-in conditioners. The pH of your hair products can make the difference between your hair length being stuck at shoulder-length or your hair length reaching down your back. Hair with closed cuticles is stronger and will stay moisturized longer.

Making sure your hair is soft and flexible is a great way to help it grow longer. If you do not make an effort to treat your hair gently and apply moisture daily; then your curly hair texture will become dry, weak and ultimately damaged.

Create a Good Night-Time Routine

Using Satin Hair Bonnets and Satin Pillowcases

It is super important to protect your hair while you are sleeping. I like wearing a satin bonnet cap or a satin scarf while I am sleeping. Some people prefer to sleep on a satin pillowcase. Either way, be sure to protect your hair while you are sleeping

Moisturize Your Hair While You Sleep

Bedtime is a perfect time to give your hair a moisture boost for the next day. I love to soak my hair in a moisturizing conditioner such as Giovanni Direct Leave-In Conditioner
and place a plastic cap on my hair, while it is twisted-up and tucked away.

It's nice to wake up to super soft hair the next morning. Your hair loses moisture even when you sleep. It is a good idea to use those hours of sleep to condition your natural hair.

Hairstyling at night, for sleeping

Plan your next day hairstyle at night. For example, if you are wearing a protective hairstyle, create two-strand twist so that your hair will be stretched for the next day. That way, it will be ready for an easy fold and tuck hairstyle.

If you are planning to refresh a twist out in the morning; then lightly moisturize your hair at night--and either re-twist your hair or use the pineapple method to keep your curl definition.

Doing a few simple steps at night can make your natural hair much easier to manage in the morning.

There is no product that will make the hair grow apart from good hair maintenance habits. There is an art to handling African American hair. While you are styling your hair always keep in mind that Afro-textured hair becomes dry fast; and is naturally fragile.

Styling your hair for growth involves strategic grooming techniques that revolve around preventing hair breakage. Hair product selection is not the only factor involved in hair growth. Try wearing protective hairstyles at least three days out
of a week and watch your hair get longer.

10 Things You Must Do When Styling Your Hair for Growth

Be Gentle

Be careful when styling your hair. Do not yank and /or pull knots out.

Be Patient

Set aside time to handle your hair slowly and attentively.

Use Your Hands

Handle your hair with your hands as much as possible. Styling tools, such as brushes and combs can damage your hair strands.

Prevent Hair Damage

Wrap hair up at night; never allow the hair to become entangled & dry.

Moisturize HairCorrectly

Use slightly ACIDIC WATER and a moisturizer from your favorite product line.

Reduce Breakage

Choose hairstyles that need little upkeep and manipulation such as buns, mini-twist, and twist-outs.

Moisturize Your Hair Daily

Use slightly ACIDIC WATER daily especially before touching-up a hairstyle.

Keep Hair Clean

Try not to go longer than seven days without cleansing your hair to prevent product-build-up on the hair strand and bacteria-build-up on the scalp.

Protect Those Ends

Moisturize your hair ends first and often.

Use Protective Hairstyling

make sure that the ends of your hair are tucked away. If you like wearing your hair loose; then moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!

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